Friends before Enmity

The previous conversations that had ensued between these two rivals at a meeting in Erfurt some four years ago further charged Napoleon’s pursuits. In the meeting, the Russian allies as well as those of France had met to discuss of the Tilsit conflict, where French and Russian rivalry had brought about a division of Europe. The irony in it is just how fast Alexander and Napoleon had terminated their friendship even before a year was over. Their conversation at Erfurt in 1808 was a complete opposite of they had talked about in 1807, as their true colors now begun to be revealed.

Alexander and Napoleon’s conversation in 1807

Napoleon: Did you receive my largesse as I had requested for you. Alexander: Ooh yes I am very grateful of your Kindness Emperor, I am glad that we have set our differences aside for the good of Europe. Napoleon: I couldn’t ask for more, other than the peaceful coexistence between France and Russia. Alexander: My good friend General Caulaincourt also informed me that you named him as Savary’s successor. Napoleon: Yes, I believe he is up to the task. (Enters Countess Naryshkin, Alexander’s Mistress)

Countess Naryshkin: Greetings, your highness, receive my gratitude for the porcelain, I tend to believe it’s from Sevres. Napoleon: True my lady, the finest porcelain from that region. Apparently, Napoleon was using diplomacy through giving gifts to his new ‘rival friend’ so that he would stay in touch with Russia and dig out more about the loopholes in the Russian government. Later on, Alexander discovered Napoleon’s scheme and in less than a year, the rivalry was on again. Napoleon regretted some of his decisions like telling Alexander about France’s strains although to some reasonable extents he was pleased with himself. What however stuck to his mind is that one day he would settle old scores between Russia and France.

Entry to Moscow

On that fateful September night, Moscow was the destination for the Grande Armee and the last thing on Bonaparte’s mind was retreating. This significant entry to Moscow happened exactly a week after the battle of Borodino on September 14, 1812. The foot soldiers, heavily burdened with tons of munitions on their backs skillfully approached the great city of Moscow. Any engagement or sound of fire would mean an inexorable gunfight and another bloodshed. Knowing this, the French troops used their military experience to surround Moscow with Bonaparte in the lead.

Nonetheless, the silence in the town seemed quite unusual and sooner or later the Grande Armee would discover that the Russian troops had already known of their coming and fled. To Napoleon’s surprise, on that fateful night his huge army was simply going to lay asleep in a rather unexpected turn of events or fight with the stars, since not even a baby was left in the great city of Moscow. The Russians, in a bid to eliminate the possibility of Moscow being of help to Napoleon, set fire to strategic points in the city especially the food and medical supplies units.

he French troops now advanced towards Kaluga to try their lack and combat the Russians. This time luck was on their way although it was a short lived one. The Russian troops, as instructed by Alexander, engaged with the Grande Armee on their way to Kaluga although after a strident engagement, they retreated. Once again, the Russian armies had outsmarted the Grande Armee. This “engage and retreat” policy employed by the Russians dealt a very huge blow to the French troops, since they were running out of supplies day in day out. Keeping in mind that the French army had great numbers, the Russians also used the scorch earth policy that ensured that the French troops would have very little to eat, as soon as they got close to hitting the Russians.

Despite the challenges, Napoleon soldiered on until his army could not fight any more owing to their depleted food rations, the harsh winter conditions, hypothermia and several attacks from Russian peasants on solitary French troops. On October 19, 1812, Napoleon retreated from Moscow to France. As his army crossed the Berezina River in November, very little was left of his huge army. Less than 30,000 troops were his accomplices on his way home, with hundreds of thousands of the Grande Armee killed and others captured. Although Napoleon’s reputation was damaged after the Moscow wars, much inspiration can be drawn from the way he pursued his ambitions at Moscow and to a considerable number of people, Napoleon is in a way a hero to admire.

Tweet